Lamp-mounting.



F. M. WHITNEY.

LAMP MOUNTING. 'APPLICATION rum 1AN.20.1915.

Patented Dec. 10, i918.

Inventor? Francis m. Whitn Witnesses:

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FRANCIS M. WHITNEY, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO GENERALCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

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memesnnncrnrc Application filed January 20, 1915. Serial No. 3,222.

To all, whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. Wnrrnnv, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Diego, in the county of San Diego, State of California,have invented certain new and useful improvements in Lamp-Mountings, ofwhich the followingis aspecifica- 3 tion.

My invention relates to lamp mounting and the like, and it is moreespecially concerned with the support of the mounting devices and theirelectrical connection to current supply conductors. It is my aim to makethe devices simple and rugged In construction; easy and. cheap tomanufacture; and convenient and reliable in use. The invention is ofespecial advantage where a number of mounting devices are to besupported by their current supply conductors, as in strings or festoonsof employed for decorative purpose,-for it enables the devices to beattached and onnected to the conductors with the utmost facility and(lcspatch. I have hereinafter illustrated and described in detail thebest embodiment of the invention for this particular purpose at presentknown to me; but it will be understood that although the inventionextends even to the specific features and details and combinations andarrangements shown, it is not confined thereto, but can be otherwisecarried out and embodied.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 a perspective view of a mountingdevice embodying my invention attached and connected to insulatedcurrent supply conductors, and carrying an incandescent electric lamp.

Fig. 2 is a mid-section of the device, illustrating its attachment andconnection.

Fig. 3 is a plan view with the current supply conductors omitted,certain parts being in section.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 2, showing amodification of certain parts for use with bare conductors.

Fig5 is a mid-sectional view (similar to Fig. 2) of a modified form ofmounting device.

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing certain parts in section at a planecorresponding to the line 6-6 in Fig. 5. 1

From Figs. 1 and 2 it will be seen that the suspended lamps pieces 16and 17 and is device shown comprises means for holding a lamp'base andmaking contact with itsterminals, and means associated therewith forengaging and holding the current supply conductors. As the base 1. ofthe lamp 2 shown is of the ordinary Edi-son screw type, the holdin andcontact making means has the form of a downwardly open socket withsorewshe'll and center contact elements 3 and 4. The conductor engagingmeans shown comprises members 5 and 6 that extend upward from thesockctand then inward toward one another, so that they will receive theconductors 7 and 8 between them when said conductors are momentarilybrought close togethenand will engage said conductors on their uppersides when they are subsequently allowed to 1 spread apart. 1 As shown,the engaging members 5 and 6. are the sideportions of atrough-likepart'10,.and

' the shell contact element 3 fits a flange 11 whose smaller portionextends down into the shell contact element 3, and about the centercontact element 4. The center contact element (see Figs. 2 and 3)comprises a rivetlike center contact proper, a flat connecting PatentedDec. 10, 1918.

piece 18 that lies between the insulating I I ated or embedded in theformer, andmeanc for directly engagin and making connection to theconductor 7 Ehown as in" the form of a sharp-pointed pin 19 preferablyupset, expanded, riveted,

or soldered inzone end of the piece 18. The

connecting piece18' has an opening with an upstanding rim or 'flange 21that is itself preferably expanded in a hole in the part 16, and thecenter contact proper extends through both the parts 16 and 17 and theflange 21 and has its upper end expanded and headed or beaded 'over'soas to-secure all i the other-parts togetherifi The pin; 19, it will beseen, is in electriealconnection withi-the center contact proper, whoselower end is exposed in the screw shell 3. In the inturned end or edgeof the conductor-engaging member (i is riveted a sharp pointed pin 22which serves as a means for directly engaging and making electricalconnection with the conductor 8,

It willbe understood that the supply conductor contact means 19 and 22are of pin form in order to adapt them for piercing the insulation shownon the conductors 7 and 8 of Figs. 1 and 2. If the conductors are bare,the pin 19 may be replaced by the bent over end of the piece 18 as shownin Fig. 4 and the pin 22 dispensed with, insulating enamel orthe likebeing applied to the inner side of the member 6 if necessary.

It will also be understood that the pieces 16 and 17 will preferably beof fiber, porcelain, bisque, or other insulating material, and that theother-parts may be of copper, brass, or other metal. So constructed, thedevice as a whole may be 'insulatively protected by an external layer orcoating of insulating paint, enamel, or the like.

When the device is placed on the wires 7 and 8 as shown in Fig. 2 andthe lamp2 placed in thesocket and screwed home, the screw shell member3will coact with the base 1 to force the part 15 upward and by means ofit force the conductors 7 and 8 against the engaging members 5 and 6. Atthe same time that the conductors 7 and 8 are thus gripped by thecooperating parts 10 and 15, the pins 19 and 22 will pierce the.insulation and come in contact with the conductors 7 and 8, which maypreferably be stranded so as to be penetrated and spread bv said pins.In this way the conductors 7 and 8 will be put in electrical connectionwith the'c'ontact elements 3 and 4 by the mere act of screwing the lampinto the socket.

In the modifieddevice shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the trough-like part 30that corresponds to the part 10 in Figs. 1 and 2 is inverted, andthe-center contact member 31 is riveted directlyin its bottom. The screwshell contact member 32 is secured to an insulating piece 33 that has ahole for the center contact member 31; in general form it resembles theinsulating piece 16 of Figs. 1, 2 and 3. As shown in Fig. 6, the shellmember 32 has four tongues 34 that extend through slots in the piece 33and are bent over, and the .conductor contact pin 35 is riveted throughone of these tongues and a Washer seated in a recess at the lower sideof the piece '33. This construction, it will be seen, affords theelectrical parts better protection from the weather and minimizes therisk of short circuit when the device is wet. It will be understood thatin putting the device together in the factory the center contact member31 is inserted and riveted in place as the final step, just as is thecase with the center contact proper in assembling the device of Figs. 1,2 and TVhat I claim-as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is 1. A lamp mounting comprising relatively movablecooperating parts for grippin and holding current supply conductors, andam base holding means associated with saig parts and coacting with thelamp base, upon insertion of a lamp in the mounting, to

cause the base to move said parts toward one another to grip saidconductors.

2'. A lamp mounting comprising means for holding a lamp base and makingcontact with its terminals, relatively movable cooperating partsassociated therewith and embodying means for putting the contact makin;elements of said first mentioned means in electrical connection withcurrent supply conductors, said parts being moved to bring about suchconnection-by coaotion of the lamp base with said means first mentionedwhen a lamp is inserted in the mountin '3. A lamp mounting comprisingrelative y movable cooperating parts for gripping and making electricalconnection with current supply conductors, and means for holding a lampbase and making contact with its ter- -minals associated with said partsand vcoacting with said base upon insertion of a lamp in the mounting,to force the parts. together upon the conductors and put the conductorsin electrical connection with its own contact making elements.

4. A lamp mounting comprising means for holding a lamp base and makingcontact with its terminals, wire-engaging members extending upward fromsaid means and separated so as to receive current supply wires betweenthem and engage said wires on the upper sides thereof when the wires aresubscquently spread apart, and means morable upward between said membersto force and hold said wires against said members and put the wires inelectrical connection with the co'ntact making elements of said firstmentioned means.

5. A lamp mounting comprising wire-en gaging members extending towardone another but separated so as to receive insulated current supplywires between them and engage said wires when the wires are subsequentlyspread apart; a movable part coacting with said members in gripping saidwires and piercing their insulation; and means for holding a lamp baseand making contact with its terminals associated with said members andsaid movable part and coacting with said base in forcing said movablepart toward said wire-engaging members to grip the wires, pierce theirinsula tion, and put them in electrical connection with its own contactmaking elements.

6. A lamp mounting comprising relativcly movable parts embodying meansfor making electrical connection with current supply conductors, acontact element for engaging a terminal of the lamp base hen a. lamp isinserted 1n the mounting associated with. one of said parts and inelectrical connection with its conductor connection means, and a screwthrea ed contact element for engaging a correspondingly threadedterminal of the lamp base associated with the other of said parts and inelectrical con- I 'nection with its conductor connection means,

said parts being moved by coaction of the lamp base with the aforesaidscrew threaded contact element when a lamp is inserted in the mounting.

7. A lamp mounting comprising an up-- wardly open trough-like part withinwardly -.extending wire-engaging side portions separatedso as toreceive current supply wlres between them and engage said wires when thewires are subsequently spread apart, a downwardly open socket at thelower side of said trough-like part comprising a screwshell contactelement, and a part movable upward between the sides of the trough togrip the current supply wires against the wire-engaging side portions ofthe trough, said part embodying a center'contact element. g

8. A lamp mounting comprising a metal trough with inturned edges; acontact element secured to the bottom of said trough and in electricalconnection with it; a pin projecting from the inner side of one inturnededgeof said trough; andv a part movable between the sides of said troughcomprising a body of insulating material, a pin projecting therefromtoward the othe-r inturned edge of said trough, and a contact element inelectrical connection with said latter pin, one of the contact elementsaforesaid being a screw shell and the other a center contact exposedinsaid shell.

9. An incandescent lamp socket compris- 'ing means for connectiontherewith of wires, means for the connection therewith of anincandescent-lamp, contacts, insulated from each other, means forelectrically connecting said contacts with the terminals of said lampwhen said lamp isconnected-with said socket," and means for moving saidcontacts into electrical connection with saidwires by and on theconnection of said lamp with said body.

10: An incandescent lainp socket comprisof the base thereof into saidsocket mem-' her, for pushing said contacts through the insulation ofthe wire.

12. A lamp socket having means for'the connection therewith ofconducting means, contact means, and means actuated by the lamp on theconnection-thereof With said socket for moving said contact means intoelectrical connection'with said conducting means. r

' In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of January, 1915.

FRANCIS M. WHITNEY.

Witnesses:

C. C. MAY, B. E. NOWLAND.

